Political analyst, attorney and activist Bakari Sellers will serve as the keynote speaker for Shaw University’s 2018 Spring Commencement exercises, to be held Saturday, May 12 at the Raleigh Convention Center beginning at 10:00 a.m.

The CNN political commentator and former representative from South Carolina made history in 2006 when, at 22 years-old, he became the youngest member of the South Carolina state legislature and the youngest African American elected official in the nation. In 2014, Sellers won the Democratic nomination for Lt. Governor and is considered a leading voice for his generation.

“We are looking forward to his address, as Mr. Sellers’ dedication to public service offers encouragement for our graduates to be successful global citizens,” said Shaw University Interim President, Paulette Dillard.

Sellers has received dozens of professional accolades, including TIME Magazine’s 40 Under 40 and “The Root 100” list of the nation’s most influential African Americans. He has also served as a featured speaker at events for the National Education Association, College Democrats of America National Convention, NAACP, the Democratic National Convention and the AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington, DC.

An alumnus of Morehouse College and the University of South Carolina, Sellers has followed in the footsteps of his father, civil rights leader Dr. Cleveland Sellers, in his commitment to public service while championing progressive policies to address issues

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Shaw University, located in North Carolina’s vibrant Downtown Raleigh, is the first historically black institution of higher education in the Southern United States. Founded in 1865 by Dr. Henry Martin Tupper, Shaw is proud to be educating more than 1,800 students who will become the change agents of tomorrow. Our motto is "This is E.P.I.C," as we are committed to advancing our mission with Entrepreneurial Thinking, Positioning and Presence, Innovation, and Customer Care. Learn more at www.shawu.edu.